Bridge of violins or similar musical instruments



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BRIDGE 0F vwuws 12 SIMiLAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLlCATiON FILED MAR. 31,1920.

Patenied Oct. 19, 1920.

THOMAS CHARLES FITT, OF STREATHAM, LONDON, ENGLAND.

BRIDGE OF VIOLINS OR SIMILAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed March 31, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, THOMAS CHAnnns FITT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 32 Mitcham Lane, Streatham, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to the Bridges of Violins or Similar Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bridges for violins, and similar musical instruments and has for its chief object to improve the construction or formation of the bridge while maintaining its general characteristic shape, for enabling the tone of the violin or other instrument to which it is applied to be ren dered sweeter and more mellow than that produced by the same instrument when not fitted with the improved bridge.

According to this invention, the improved bridge may be of the usual exterior shape and it is of substantially solid forma tion but it is formed interiorly with several similar holes, pockets or cells of circular or approximately circular formation which are closed on each face of the bridge, thus forming inclosures or containers in which air is confined, so as to produce a number of air cushions which so influence the vibrations transmitted to the bridge from the strings to the belly of the instrument that the sound produced is of a much sweeter, more mellow and generally more pleasing tone than is produced by the same instrument when not fitted with the improved bridge. The improved bridge may be of a composite or laminated form and may comprise three sections, a front and a rear section and a middle section, the latter being thicker and of solid formation than the other two and provided with a number of similar circular holes or perforations which are closed by the front and rear sections when attached to the front and rear faces of the middle section thus forming the aforesaid air cushions or pockets.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of one construction of the improved violin bridge shown partly in section.

Fig. 2 is an end view.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

Serial No. 370,215.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken on the line 44: of Fig. 1.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are perspective views of the front, rear and middle sections respectively drawn to a slightly larger scale.

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views similar to Fig. 3 illustrating slight modifications.

A represents the middle section which is fairly thick and tapered toward its upper part. B, C represent the front and rear sect-ions which as shown are of thin or veneer form and attached to the front and rear faces of the middle section. Each section is formed with lateral openings D and a medial opening E, while the lower part of each section is formed with extensions or feet F so that when the three sections are secured together the usual openings and the supporting feet are provided. The middle section A is provided with a number of small holes or perforations Gr extending right through the same from front to rear and the arrangement of holes is such as to extend across the width mainly below the opening E without weakening any part such as the free ends adjacent to the usual openings D or the feet F of the bridge. In the example illustrated which is intended to represent a violin bridge, a row of holes, say eleven, extends almost completely across the width of the lower part of the bridge just above the feet and below the two usual lateral openings D. A number of holes, say eleven, are provided in the middle part of the bridge between the said lateral openings D and under the upper medial opening E, while a few holes, say four. are provided at each side of the medial opening E just above each lateral opening D and are arranged in curved rows. to agree with the curvature of the upper edge of the bridge, without extending beyond the upper part of the said medial opening. Thus the middle section is provided with twentynine small closely arranged circular holes which are mostly arranged at the lower and middle part thereof. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the front and rear sections B and C are not provided with holes or openings other than the openings D and E hereinbe fore referred to. The front and rear sections are applied to and secured on the front and rear facesof the middle section in any appropriate manner such as by cementing or gluing to cover the aforesaid holes G so that the latter form cavities in which air is contained, to produce the air cushions as aforesaid; The specific form of the invention above described, I have found, from experiments, to give verysatisfactory results, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the arrangement above set forth as the number and arrangement of the holes may be varied; generally from 12 to 30 holes may be provided. Instead of constructing the improved bridge in three sections as stated above, two sections may be employed, for example, one section may comprise a portion equal to the aforesaid middle section and one of the thin or veneer sections, and the holes may be formed in the former without extending right through the same after which the second thin section can be applied to close the aforesaid holes. Alternatively the bridge can be constructed of two equal sections, the opposing faces of which are provided with holes or cavities which do not extend completely through the sections so that when the two sections are fitted together, the front and rear faces of the bridge do not show the perforations or holes.

Such constructions are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In Fig. 8 the bridge consists of two sections, the main section A, being considerably thicker than the other section B. In this embodiment of the invention cavi ties G are formed in the main section A and are closed by the other section B. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 9, the two sections A B are of substantially equal thickness and the inclosed chambers G are formed partly in each of said sections.

WVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A bridge for violins or similar musical instruments having a series of interior, completely closed, chambers, said bridge being formed by a plurality of initially separate sections, each having the outline of the complete bridge, secured together face to face, and each outer face of the bridge including a unitary surface that extends continuously across all of the said chambers.

2. A bridge for violins or similar musical instruments comprising front and rear thin sections and a middle thick and substantially solid section, the latter being provided with several perforations which are closed by the front and rear sections, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

THOMAS CHARLES FITT. 

